Facing Corruption Scandals, Communist Ex-UN Boss Gets Immunity

Another major scandal is brewing at the disgraced UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. With former UNESCO boss and longtime Communist Party bigwig Irina Bokova and her communist husband both accused of widespread corruption, the controversial new head of the UN “education” agency — herself a Socialist Party member — gave them both diplomatic immunity. The scheme, which appears designed to protect the communist duo from corruption allegations across multiple jurisdictions, includes a bizarre contract paying Bokova $1 that has drawn intense criticism and caused even more suspicion. But for now, archaic UN “diplomatic immunity” protections are likely to hamper any law-enforcement investigations or potential prosecutions.

The New American first became interested in Bokova amid investigations into UNESCO schemes to hijack and weaponize education worldwide. It very quickly became apparent that the longtime member of the Bulgarian Communist Party, which slaughtered hundreds of thousands of innocent people, was hoping to indoctrinate children into the UN-backed ideologies of globalism, humanism, and socialism. “We have the collective duty to empower every child and youth with the right foundations — knowledge, values and skills — to shape the future as responsible global citizens, [emphasis added]” she declared at a UN summit on education in South Korea, one of many public statements vowing to transform the attitudes and values of children worldwide.

That pattern of alleged corruption appears to have continued — and the benefits are still accruing. While Bokova was running UNESCO, a post she held until recently, the Rothschild-backed communist did more than a few major favors for Russian chemical giant PhosAgro, including forming a “partnership” between the UN agency she ran and the controversial company in 2011. On June 2, 2017, the Moscow-trained Bulgarian communist even gave a speech at the Kremlin-backed St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in which she showered praise on the conglomerate and its leadership.

“We need chemistry to move forward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” said Bokova, a reference to the totalitarian UN plan for humanity sometimes referred to as Agenda 2030 or the “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) which the Communist Chinese regime played a “crucial role” developing. “This is why our partnership with PhosAgro ... is so important, to support the creativity and innovation of young scientists, guided by the Principles of Green Chemistry.” She also expressed “special gratitude” to PhosAgro boss and controversial Russian billionaire Andrey Guryev for the “leadership he brings to strengthening cooperation between PhosAgro and UNESCO.” And finally, she expressed confidence that the cooperation between the two “will continue to go from strength to strength.”

Bokova's husband, Kalin Mitrev, is also a longtime communist operative with deep ties to international communism and the former Bulgarian regime's mass-murdering “security” services. And Mitrev, who also joined the ranks of international bureaucracy by working at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, has been credibly accused of corruption, too. According to multiple news reports last September, Bulgarian authorities launched an investigation into Mitrev. Among other major concerns, Mitrev received about half a million U.S. dollars, part of it via Swiss bank accounts, as part of an alleged money-laundering and influence-buying scheme known as “Azerbaijani laundromat” tied to the brutal dictatorship ruling Azerbaijan. The prosecutor’s office has not provided any recent updates on the status of the investigation.

The case was opened after the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and other media exposed the allegedly shady dealings in major newspapers across Europe. Despite her well-known close ties to the brutal regime in Azerbaijan, Bokova denied knowledge of her husband's schemes. “I am not privy to the details of my husband’s consulting business and equally, your questions about my opinion on Azerbaijan and its leadership are wholly misplaced,” she was quoted as saying in media reports surrounding the investigation into her husband. “I most vehemently deny any wrongdoing and will consider defamatory any publication of these totally unfounded conjectures on your part.”

As The New American reported in October of last year, Bokova and her allies were desperately seeking a successor at UNESCO who would keep the lid on all of the mushrooming scandals that were coming out in the press. And with her protection from prosecution by the diplomatic immunity conferred on employees of international organizations expiring at the end of her term in November 2017, insiders at the UN agency told this magazine that the scramble was on to find somebody who would remain silent — if not cooperate in the shady business. It seems Bokova and friends may have found the ally they needed.

As of January 2018, in what has been widely described as another corrupt scheme, Bokova secured immunity for herself and her husband by signing a deal with UNESCO's new chief, French Socialist Party bigwig Audray Azoulay. Under the agreement, a copy of which was obtained by The New American, Bokova is paid a mere $1 per year. In exchange, the infamous “red diaper baby” from Bulgaria supposedly “advises senior management on various aspects of UNESCO programs” and “conducts missions to organize meetings, conferences and consultations.” UNESCO member states were not consulted on the arrangement, according to multiple sources.

Sources inside UNESCO also spoke out. “It is extremely regrettable and we note it with great concern that the corruption schemes established at UNESCO by the former 'Dictator' General, the communist party member, Bokova are now being perpetuated by the administration of the socialist party designated DG of UNESCO Azoulay,” a concerned UNESCO official told The New American on condition of anonymity. “Their obvious complicity is sealed by this one dollar contract generously signed by Azoulay and Bokova.” The source said it was “unfortunate” the new Socialist chief of UNESCO does not respect the rules, facilitates corruption, and more.

Aside from the corruption scandals, the sex-abuse scandals that have plagued the entire UN system — including an estimated 60,000 rapes of women and children with impunity by UN officials in the last decade — has also reached into the highest echelons of UNESCO. Earlier this year, UNESCO Assistant Director General Frank La Rue of Guatemala was suspended from his post due to allegations that he sexually harassed a woman — but only after it became a public scandal. Unsurprisingly, La Rue was appointed by the scandal-plagued Bokova. And it may just be the tip of the iceberg, according to the UNESCO official who requested anonymity to discuss the matter.

“By firing the Guatemala national appointed by Bokova in the very high position of assistant director general for communication, Azoulay reacted to the pressure by Member States to clean the reputation of UNESCO after the huge sex scandal,” the insider at the agency said. “Since then however, all other similar cases are not investigated and the victims live under pressure and constant threats to be unlawfully dismissed in retaliation for their complaints.” Indeed, this magazine has highlighted numerous cases from across the UN system where whistleblowers face extreme retaliation for reporting everything from corruption and sanctions violations by UN agencies to the mass rape of children by heavily armed UN officials. Even journalists are now facing legal action from the UN.

Unfortunately, the communism, corruption, and crime plaguing UNESCO are merely a symptom of a horrifying disease. But the scandal does help make a few points clear. For one, it is now indisputable that communists, who were never punished for their crimes after the alleged “collapse” of communism, retain massive levels of influence in Bulgaria, at the UN, and beyond. It is also clear that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, yet another Socialist — he actually ran the global socialism-promoting Socialist International for years — is not truly interested in cleaning out corruption or sex abuse that permeated the so-called dictators club. UNESCO member states are also implicated for tolerating the horror show.

For Americans, there is good news, though. The Trump administration announced last October that the Unites States would be officially withdrawing from UNESCO at the end of 2018. Citing totalitarian control of the organization, President Ronald Reagan withdrew, too — only to have a future administration re-join. But for the rest of the world and potentially even for Americans under a new government, UNESCO remains a major threat. Ending the corrupt system of impunity, investigating all crimes, and draining the international swamp would be an excellent follow-up to the U.S. withdrawal. And finally, passing the American Sovereignty Restoration Act (H.R. 193) to get the U.S. government out of the full UN would protect American money and liberty from the globalist cartel running the international swamp. It is past time to Get U.S. Out of the UN.

Photo of Irina Bokova: United Nations

Alex Newman, a foreign correspondent for The New American, is normally based in Europe but has lived all over the world. Follow him on Twitter @ALEXNEWMAN_JOUor on Facebook. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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